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Archived This topic has been archived. Information and links in this thread may no longer be available or relevant. If you have a question create a new topic by clicking here and select the appropriate board.
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The printer has been working fine until last night.  The last page printed was very faint, couldn't read.  The black ink levels are fine and the color ink still prints.  I ran HP's diagnostic test and it says there is nothing wrong with the printer.  Any suggestions?

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Found a link to another post in the forums with the same title as this one.  Follow the instructions for removing the printhead and cleaning and soaking with hot water.  After 5 minutes of cleaning and rinsing everything works fine now.  Ignore the post above about changing the color settings in printer preferences.

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48 REPLIES 48
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I have a similar problem. I replaced the black ink cartridge (564XL) and the ink status shows that I have plenty of black ink, but the black ink won't print. I've done all the head cleaning, alignment tests, and nothing helps. Any advice?

 

I have an HP Photosmart Premium 309 running wireless from all Macs. The black copy function won't work, either, even as I use it apart from the computer. The HP online diagnostics don't work with Macs. Wish I knew that before I purchased a "mac compatible" HP printer. Just spent $81 on ink and now the printer won't work.

 

Michele

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I also have just had this exact same problem occur today.  I even bought a new cartridge, and still no luck.  Ran lots of tests, and could not correct the problem.   I am hoping someone  has an answer.

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I also have a problem with the black ink.  I have an HP Photosmart Premium hooked up to my mac.  The start up inks worked, but then the black ran low and stopped - at least that's what I thought happened.  I've replaced it and now I get no black ink at all.  I've tried reinserting the replacement cartridge several times.  Unfortunately I bought the larger size black ink so I am out of more money.  I am not computer savvy, so I can only share my problem. 

I notice too that this printer seems much slower than the HP I had before.  The black doesn't show up on copies either.  This printer was bought just 2 months ago.  I am considering returning this product completely even though I purchased a warrentee.   I am hoping someone has an answer.

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I did some poking around with other common problems on the forum, and I just tried the "Align the Printheads" option on the HP "Solution Center"  dialogue box  (under "settigs" then "toolbox" ) that came wiht my software, and it WORKED!!!!   I am now able to print the black again.  I hope this will work for the others of you who are having problems.  I also hope this is the permanent solution.

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I suddenly have the same problem. Things have been fine all year. Buy new cartridges, put them in, all good. And now when I'm in the midst of basically full cartridges after maybe 20 printouts and copies both color and black/white, suddenly black doesn't print. I use the printer pretty much every day. I've run the HP utilities on my mac (Snow Leopard 10.6). No recent system updates either. Does anyone have any ideas?

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I've run all HP printer utilities on my mac and after I've just run the align utility and the printer touchscreen now says "Alignment failed. Touck OK" - that's not good. Any ideas?

HP Recommended

Hi:

 

I have the Photosmart Premium C309g with the same issues, but just solved them.

 

SUCCESS!

 

I kept repeating the HP system utilities on my mac (none worked), alignment kept failing, cleaning, etc., nothing brought back the blacks. Then I tried the on-board printer utilities in the Setup menu. Align failed at first, turned off the printer, turned it back on, ran Align through the on-board again and it succeeded, printed a clean page, and now I have my blacks printing again. Try the on-board printer utilities - perhaps it'll work for you as it did for me.

HP Recommended

FAIL

 

I went thru the whole power-down, alignment cycle to no avail.  Three times - same result: no black. "Alignment failed"  

In fact I only get cyan.

 

Man it is so disappointing when you Google 'photosmart "no black"' and come up with tons of hits....

 

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I got the same black ink cartridge problem to stop printing even using new original HP and full of Ink cartridge.  I bought very alike printer C309 Photosmart Premium printer in 2010 and shortly I just returned back to Costco and after I bought again the same on sale and on the old registration I entered a new serial number, but India {content removed} did not want to accept it for the warranty. I bought probably 5 HP printers for my children and me, 3 laptops and 1 desktop from HP and this India representative of HP did not have for me any “mercy" as customer.

Before we never had any problems with HP printer. But this one is terrible, noisy like tractor, ink use is even more than terrible, only for testing, alignment etc it used 1/4 of second black/grey ink amount. {content removed}

I went through the whole power-down 3 and # pressing down, alignment cycle.  "Alignment failed"  same result: no black cartridge prints text.

I called HP service for help speaking with {content removed} from India and he was not able to solve anything - {content removed}

The best solution is to leave HP and move e.g. to Epson. {content removed}

 

 

 

 

 

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